Track Tested: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited With Six-Speed Automatic

Edmunds tests hundreds of vehicles a year. Cars, trucks, SUVs, we run them all, and the numbers always tell a story. With that in mind we present "Track Tested," a quick rundown of all the data we collect at the track, along with comments direct from the test-drivers. Enjoy.

We've already tested a 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS with a manual transmission. We even put it in comparison test against a manual-shift Honda Accord and Mazda 6. But we know full well that 95 percent of buyers will get the Sonata with the six-speed automatic transmission.

So now we've instrument-tested a 2011 Sonata Limited with the automatic. And, to satisfy your inner Hyundai geek, we're going to show you its track numbers side-by-side with those of the manual-shift Sonata -- which of course was tested on a different day, in different conditions, and with a smaller 16-inch wheel/tire package.

Acceleration comments: Not enough power to worry about wheelspin. Best run in "D." Impossible to predict shift timing in manual mode. Shifts at 6,000 in "D."

Braking comments: Good pedal feel and fade resistance, but distances are only so-so.

Handling comments: Slalom: Some suspension wind-up makes the Sonata a handful with the stability control off. With the stability control on, its manners are fine. Low limits. Ample body roll. Skidpad: The electric steering offers sub-par feel at the limit. Uninspired, if still average, handling.